When: April 1-20, 2008
Where: New York City Center
http://www.nycitycenter.org/about/press.cfm#kirovWhat: The Kingdom of Shadows from La Bayadere; Fokine’s Scheherazade and Chopiniana; Gorsky’s The Grand Pas de Deux from Don Quixote; Balanchine’s Jewels (Rubies) and Ballet Imperial; as well as Forsythe’s Steptext.

Any word on the casting for the January 2008 D.C. Bayadere? The tickets go on sale in a week (for KC patrons) - how am I supposed to decide which performance to go to if I don't know who will be dancing?:)

Waelsung, it's not too difficult to predict the Nikiyas. We know that Vishneva won't be there (no listing in DV's website, which is reliable). So that leaves as the Nikiyas who currently dance the role at the Mariinsky:

* Lopatkina
* Pavlenko
* Tereshkina
* Somova

Assuming that those four ladies are healthy, willing and able to make the trip to DC, I would bet on their being presented in the above order, i.e., Lopatkina 1st night, Pavlenko 2nd, etc. It's almost 100% certain that Tereshkina and Somova will appear; most likely, each will have two presentations. There's a small chance that, as the 'prima,' Lopatkina will bypass the DC tour, in which case the opener would go to Pavlenko.

Hopefully, Lopatkina will come and she'll open the Bayadere run. But I'm
100% certain that the odds favor Somova getting that honor. Somova opened the first "Swan Lake" of the new ballet season last week, and she opened ahead of Lopatkina as O/O in Cagliari, Italy this past July, and
in Ottawa in November 2006. So precedents have been set for this. Also, I believe that Pavlenko (if she's included on the tour at all), will not dance the opener. She'll probably dance third or fourth cast, and it will be a matinee - if that: >> (Fall 2006 Canadian tour - Ottawa leg). Tereshkina might be cast before her.

The Mariinsky Casting Gods would not be THAT audacious, would they, Cygne? Do they not read reviews (pros or fans) about Somova? I can think of one -- only one -- 'internet fanatic' who has given Somova good reviews using multiple names but same writing style replete with smiley faces...but, other than that, anybody? I'm willing to give people 2nd and 3rd chances, over time. Maybe Ms Somova has matured in her ways, learned to tame the wild legs, gained a musical ear, learned to control the jutting out of the chin, etc? I await her transformation, whenever that may happen. Maybe a miracle happened during the summer?

Pleasant transformations can happen. For example, I was no admirer of Svetlana Zakharova for a long time but I have become a fan since the recent London Bolshoi season, where she's displayed a new softness, musicality, lifting legs above the ears only when appropriate. But that took 8 years to achieve, with her new Bolshoi coach, Semenyaka. Even at her worst , in her debut season at the Mariinsky in 96/97, Zakharova was never as grotesque or unmusical as was Somova in 06/07, HER fourth season.

Maybe Ms Somova has matured in her ways, learned to tame the wild legs, gained a musical ear, learned to control the jutting out of the chin, etc? I await her transformation, whenever that may happen. Maybe a miracle happened during the summer?

I very much doubt it: a fiend of mine (a long time ballet goer) has just returned from her first trip to Russia where she saw two Kirov performances and has sent me an e-mail describing what she saw.

The Swan Lake performance was the first night of the new season and was danced by Somova who my friend was seeing for the first time. She says "the audience that night was mostly tourists. Nobody knew a thing about ballet" and she described Somova's performance as "horrible".

The second performance was Lopatkina's Giselle "but the Lopatkina evening was different. There were mostly Russians there and they all cheered Lopatkina." Her only criticism was of Lopatkina's new partner who she didn't like at all.

I was rather startled to learn that Somova was partnered by Igor Kolb, I adore Kolb's dancing and consider him not just the Kirov's finest, but one of the best in the world today. I was really looking forward to seeing him in Sleeping Beauty when I go to Baden Baden at Christmas, but the thought of having to endure him with the execrable Somova has left me on the brink of tears.

The Mariinsky Casting Gods would not be THAT audacious, would they, Cygne? Do they not read reviews (pros or fans) about Somova?

Hi Natalia!

Unfortunately, I think that the Mariinsky Casting Gods will continue to give her top billing, more and more and more. In fact, at this rate, I predict they will promote her to Principal Dancer within 1 - 2 years. And that will only compound this egregious mistake. There is a consensus out there. If they read the reviews, they're ignoring them. **(More on this point below).

Quote:

I can think of one -- only one -- 'internet fanatic' who has given Somova good reviews using multiple names but same writing style replete with smiley faces...but, other than that, anybody?

Exactly!

Quote:

I'm willing to give people 2nd and 3rd chances, over time. Maybe Ms Somova has matured in her ways, learned to tame the wild legs, gained a musical ear, learned to control the jutting out of the chin, etc? I await her transformation, whenever that may happen. Maybe a miracle happened during the summer?

I'm willing to give anyone the benefit of the doubt. BUT exactly where should the knowledgeable, paying public draw the line? Surely, Sept 18's latest O/O attempt must have been (at least) #12 for her (perhaps more - who know's)?

Cassandra wrote:

Quote:

The Swan Lake performance was the first night of the new season and was danced by Somova who my friend was seeing for the first time. She says "the audience that night was mostly tourists. Nobody knew a thing about ballet" and she described Somova's performance as "horrible".

Cassandra's friend's eyewitness report from last week just magnifies this insanity. One would think that at this stage Somova's been given O/O enough times, so far, to be classified better than "horrible" at this point.It's been almost a year since Boston and Ottawa. They promoted her to second soloist this past Spring. What can we say about that, and the performance she gave on Sept 18? How do we deal with that?This was the first "Swan Lake" of the new season, not a matinee at the end of the year. At the Maryinsky, the traditional first "Swan Lake" of the year is supposed to set the tone for the new season. At the very least, Somova had the opportunity to set the tone for her upcoming performances in this new year. What message is she sending to the Maryinsky faithful? What do they have to look forward to from her this year? The management gave her this opening night. If "Swan Lake" would have opened the ballet season last week, instead of "Romeo & Juliet" (with Vishneva), Somova *(most likely) would have been center stage. Think about that for a minute.

**Reportedly, to date she hasn't improved. When I say 'reportedly,' I'm talking about legitimate reports - reviews by respected and knowledgeable dance critics - not reporters who were assigned to cover the ballet and came from the op. ed. or sports division of a newspaper, and wouldn't know a plie from a bourree. I'd also like to add the legitimate reports, of professional dancers, knowledgeable lay-people and conoisseurs who know classical ballet, and understand what is going on onstage.

For example, her July debut as Kitri, in the wake of Osipova's triumphs in London this summer, was pure comedy in the embarrassing sense. As for a miracle happening this summer, ironically, , I practically posted those very same words in summer 2005 in BT before she made her debut as Aurora that Fall in Los Angeles. I was hoping against hope that perhaps she was ready for prime time in this, the most academic and classical of all classical roles. I've seen her "Aurora," and it wasn't her debut performance, and whenever I think of it I still have withdrawals. Now, I won't itemize my viewing resume of her repertoire here, but her Aurora (?) > I counted at least 14 mistakes in the Rose Adage alone.

Quote:

Pleasant transformations can happen.

I agree - and in her case we wait. But while we wait, what is happening in the company? Deserving and superior dancers are either voting with their feet (i.e. leaving the Mariinsky), or languishing in obscurity due to her meteoric rise. Worse, audiences worldwide who have never experienced the true Maryinsky/Petersburg style, will see Somova, and erroneously conclude that they've seen & experienced a legitimate exponent and purveyor of the Vaganova/Petersburg School.

Not so.

The $ 1 Trillion question is are we waiting in vain? Who can know the future? I wish I could read the Artistic Director's mind re her. What do they see in her? It hasn't manifested (yet).

Quote:

For example, I was no admirer of Svetlana Zakharova for a long time but I have become a fan since the recent London Bolshoi season, where she's displayed a new softness, musicality, lifting legs above the ears only when appropriate. But that took 8 years to achieve, with her new Bolshoi coach, Semenyaka. Even at her worst , in her debut season at the Mariinsky in 96/97, Zakharova was never as grotesque or unmusical as was Somova in 06/07, HER fourth season.

I agree with you re Zakharova. Even in her early years, it couldn't
be said that she wasn't professional or without technique. Her first coach was Moiseyeva, and Semenyaka has done some wonderful fine tuning with her. She has the double blessing of two illustrious mentors.

Zakharova has benefitted greatly from her move, in that she's in a company that's riding the crest of popularity right now; the Bolshoi has fought hard for their resurgent success. Zakharova has certainly played
a key role here bringing that about. She works under a visionary Artistic Director, who is himself a noted choreographer. Moreover, Ratmansky is a leader who knows how to cultivate promising dancers, and he doesn't "file" his experienced dancers away. He believes in hierarchy and emploi. He's an AD who immediately plugs and engages international choreographic talent when he finds it. IMO, the Mariinsky Ballet doesn't have that kind of leadership right now.

Natural talent is obviously 9/10 of the battle. Somova is being promoted as the new ideal, and for whatever reason, whether prepared effectively or not, she does what she chooses onstage. The management subjects us to this and that's where it stands now.

I presume you're asking about principal dancers, as both ballets require a significant number of corps de ballet dancers.

As per CriticalDance policy, I'm not allowed to disclose casting information before it has been made public -- that means unless the press office has announced it, or another theatre's website has posted it. However, I can say that the Kirov company never performs the Vainonen Nutcracker here -- it is always the Vaganova students. So the leading roles in that particular ballet are a question mark.

Sleeping Beauty -- my guesses are: Osmolkina, Tereshkina, Obratsova; possibly Vishneva if she is on the tour; and Somova, who they are continuing to place in soloist roles despite her lower rank.

I dont have word if Lopatkina will be on this tour or not, but she isn't a local Aurora, so my guess would be no. However, she does dance Scheherezade -- in which case, quite likely she may fly out.

Its now less than two weeks to go before the Baden Baden performances and frankly I think it a disgrace that no casting has been made available.

Baden Baden is an excellent venue for this company with its massive stage and huge seating capacity. The last time I was there people had come from all over Germany and many, like myself, from much further afield. Why are we not given the courtesy of advance casting?

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